It is often desirable to have very precise two-dimensional arrays of optical fibers with terminating ends located on a common surface or plane e.g., for use with an all optical switch. Such array of optical fibers may comprise a considerable number of fibers, e.g. about 500 or more, located at their respective end adjacent (at a well defined distance) to each other so as to allow the transmission of a corresponding array of light beams such that each individual optical fiber can transmit a corresponding light beam, typically one beam per fiber for single core fibers and more than one for multi-core fibers.
In this regard, manufacturing such an array of optical fibers would require great precision in the various stages thereof. Some of these stages may typically include cleaving the optical fibers, installing them within the array and bonding them such that the respective terminating ends of the optical fibers within the array are substantially coplanar to collectively form a flat face. These operations require a high level of precision and are often costly and time consuming.